Pneumatic separator system.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908.

S. OSBORNE. PNEUMATIC SBPARATOR SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1906.

WILLIAM S. OSBORNE, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHll'SETTS.

PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed April 9. 1906- Serial No. 310F734 T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. OSBORNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Pneumatic Separator Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic separator systems.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved pneumatic system for grading and separating granulated and pulverized materials, particularly such as are of an abrasive character, in which wear upon the apparatus is reduced as far as possible, and in which provision is made for conveniently adjusting the apparatus to grade or separate material in any required manner.

Other objects of the invention will be noted in connection with the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

The invention consists in the improved pneumatic se arator system hereinafter described as de ed in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a pneumatic separator system embodying the present invention and Fig. 2 is an elevation partly section on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a pneumatic separator, a dust collector, and a blower, arranged in circuit so as to form a closed system and use the same body of air repeatedly. The pneumatic separator, indicated generally by the reference character 1, comprises a casing having the general form of a segment of a circle, as shown in Fig. 2, and provided with two parallel vertical walls 2, as shown in Fig. 1 and a circularly curved top 3. The air is, forced into the separator through an air inlet 4 at the bottom and escapes through an air outlet 5 at the top whence it is conveyed by short trunk to the dust collector 6. Within the air inlet 4 is mounted a feed disk 7 journaled upon a shaft in a bearing 8 and rotated by bevel gears 9 connected with a pulleylO which is actuated by any suitable source of power. The gears are inclosed in a casing 11 to protect them from dust. Directly about the disk 7 is an inlet pipe 12 through which material to be separated or graded is introduced. A trunk 13 extends downwardly from the bottom of the separator casing and is-provided with interior partitions 14 between which and the walls of the trunk passages 15 are formed adjacent to the sides of the trunk. The lower end of the trunk is provided with an outlet 16, and an air blast pipe 17 enters the trunk and directs a current of air upwardly through the air inlet 4. When the separator is in operation the feed disk 7 is rapidly rotated and throws the material delivered by the feed pipe 12 across the air inlet 4 where itis entrained by the upward blast of air and raised into the casing of the separator. The dust and lighter particles are immediately carried away into the dust collector 6 by the current of air, while theheavier particles either fall directly through the air inlet 4 and out through the outlet 16 or remain suspended fora while in'the air current and finally, coming in contact with the walls of the separator, slide down the walls and escape through the outlet 16.

I To provide for adjustment of the separator to secure the desired effect upon the material the separator is provided with two adjustable walls 18 pivoted at their lower extremities, as shown in Fig. 2, to the tops of the partitions 14 and provided with two adjusting rods 19, which are pivoted to the walls 18 at their inner ends and pass out through slots in the outer walls 20 of the casing. Teeth on the lower sides of the adjusting rods 19 normally en a e the lower ends of the slots so as to hold 516 walls 18 in adjusted posi tion, and cover plates 21 sliding in ways 22 on the walls20 closely embrace the rods 19- and prevent the escape of air or dust. When it is desired to adjust the walls 18 the outer ends of the rods were raised, together with the slides 20, so as to disengage the teeth, and the rods may then be pushed in or pulled out. By this adjustment the width of the air passage in the separator between the walls 18 is varied, and thus the velocity of the air current at this point is varied and the separator may be made to grade material to difierent degrees of fineness. When it is desired to carry only the finest particles into the dust collector the walls 18 are moved apart soas to increase the space between them and reduce the velocity of the air current, and un der these conditions only the finest particles to collect upon t will be sustained by the air -cu'rre'ntand car ;1 ried into the dust collector. When-it is desired to carry coarser particles into the dust collector the walls 18 are adjustedicloser together. Any dust escaping to the spaces behind the walls 18 is carried off by the passa es 15.

Thedust collector 6 may be of any suitable form, that shown being of the familiar centrifugal type, which need not be particularly described as its construction is well known. The blower 23 may also be of any suitable form, that shown being the familiar centrifugal type. The relative arrangement of the separator, the dust collector and the blower is such that no material is passed through the blower, the material being delivered to the air blast after it issues from the blower and being entirely abstracted from the air by the separator and the dust collector before the air is returned to the blower from the latter by the air pipe 24. This-feature is novel, so far as the inventor is informed, in a closed pneumatic separator system, and it is a feature of importance where the material to be operated upon is of an abrasive character such as mi ht injure the blower by violent contact wit the rapidly movin blades, or of a character which would ten to cause it to clo the casing of the blower or Tie arms thereof.

7 The air pipe 24 is provided with equalizing vents 25 connected with cylinders of wire gauze 26 to prevent the escape of dust. The object of these vents is to permit the entrance or escape of air when necessary to equalize the air pressures within and without the apparatus. It is to be noted that these air vents are so located that the air separator is caused to operate by means of a blast of air under pressure as distinguished from a current of air produced by suction as in the previously proposed device of this character; that is to say, any vacuum in the air pipe 24 will be at once neutralized by the entrance of air through the vents 25. This is a feature of importance in the present construction, and conduces to the successful operation of the apparatus. As material is introduced through thefeed pipe 12 and accumulates in the separator, it causes a back pressure and accumulation of air in the blast pipe between the blower and the separator owing to the resistance ofiered by the body of material the separator to the passage of air therethrough, and this results in a partial vacuum in the air pipe 24 and an inflow of air through the vents 25 to restore the atmospheric pressure in the air pipe. Upon any diminution in the weight of material suspended in the separator, a reverse action takes place; that is to say, the pressure between the blower and the separator diminishes and an outflow of air occurs at the vents 25.

The present invention is not 'ted to the details of construction and operation of the is claimedis:

1. A-pneumatic separator system, having, in combination, a pneumatic separator pro vided with laterally adjustable side walls, a dust collector, and a blower connected in circuit and provided with an equalizin vent between the dust collector and the blower, and means for introducing material into the air after it is discharged from the blower, substantially as described.

2. A pneumatic separator, having, in combination, a casing rovided with an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at thetop, and adjustable partitions pivoted at their lower ends in the casing and provided with means for holding them in adjusted relative positions, the casing being provided at the bottom outside of each adjustable partition with an outlet for material leaking around the edges of the. partition, substantially as described.

3. A pneumatic separator system having, in combination, a blower, a separating chamber connected with the outlet therefrom, means for introducing material between the blower and the separating chamber, and a dust collector connected with the separating chamber and provided with an air outlet connected with the inlet to the blower, the separating chamber being adjustable to vary the area of its cross section, substantially as described. j

4. A pneumatic separator system having, in combination, a pneumatic separator through which the air passes upwardly, a dust collector, provided with laterally adjustable side walls, and a blower, connected in circuit, the separator having provision for admission of air under pressure at the bottom and the introduction of material to be sorted in adirection opposite to the direction of admission of the air, such separator act' to remove coarser particles of the matefifi to be sorted, and the dust collector receivin the air from the outlet of the separator and operating to remove the finer particles of material, the air outlet of the dust separator being connected with the blower, the arrangement bein such that .only the fine impalable pow er is returned to the blower whereby the blower is preserved from the destructive wear of the material to be sorted.

5. A pneumatic separator having, in combination, a chamber provided with laterallyadjustable upright walls affording a vertical air passage of variable cross-section, a blower delivering air under pressure at the bottom of the chamber, and means for introducing p,

material at a lace in the air current so roduced where 1t is completely surrounde by blower having its outlet connected with the separator, a dust collector receivin air from the separator, and a pipe provide with an s air vent and connecting the outlet of the dust collector and the inlet of the blower, the separator comprising a vertical passage provided with laterally-adjustable walls between which the flows upwardly, and means for lntroducing material into the center of the air current at'thebottom of the separator 15 and permitting it to fall against the air current, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WTILLIAM S. OSBORNE.

Witnesses:

FARNUM F. DORSEY, HORACE VAN' EVEREN. 

